Coronavirus practical issues
I thought it might be nice to have a thread to talk about practical concerns. I'll start :). What should a solo traveler do, if they are camped somewhere they don't know anybody, and get seriously ...
Forum Discussion
This thread started 8 days ago. This just came to my attention:
THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE PHYSICIANS IN THE ER AT NORTH MEMORIAL
Friends:
I try hard not to be an alarmist, but I’m going to join my other physician colleagues in saying it is time for everyone to listen up. I’ve been living this up close and personal as an ER physician during this very unique time. We are not joking when we say you need to stay home and cancel non essential gatherings. This is not a drill. If we don’t act now we are looking at a lot of the same problems that are facing our Italian colleagues and our colleagues in Seattle- they are running out of beds, ventilators, doctors, nurses, supplies. We need to #flattenthecurve and slow the spread of this virus. And if you really want to use argument “but flu kills so many more people than coronavirus...” great news, all of these measures will help to stop the spread of flu too-bonus! YOU can help in so many ways.
How can you help? Glad you asked!!!
#1 STAY HOME AND AWAY FROM OTHERS as much as possible (I feel like I need to say it again and again and again) Introverts it is your time! If you can work from home, great. If you can stagger your work day also great. If you have to go to work, keep your distance. Cover your cough. Wash your hands. Wash your hands again. Keep washing your hands. Repeat. Do not go to work sick. For sure Minnesotans need to be told this as we all try to “muscle” through. Now is not the time.
#2 Support locally owned restaurants, order take out or delivery. Now is the time to use grubhub, door dash, Uber eats, etc. I’ve already decided where I’m getting my birthday takeout! (And for those of you who know me well, no, it’s not Taco Bell ??) Brasa I’m coming for you!
#3 Support small businesses. Call them and ask to buy gift cards. They could use the sale right now. Buy local whenever possible.
#4 Donate to food banks- my North Minneapolis crowd is going to be hit disproportionately hard by the school closures and there are a lot of really vulnerable kids out there. Make sure everyone in your community has enough to eat. PS: food banks can do astonishing things with even small amounts of money- every bit helps.
#5 Call/text/FT/Skype your friends/elders. Everyone will need social support in the coming days/weeks/months. Make sure your neighbors are holding up ok. Call your loved ones who live in care facilities, many are not allowing visitors right now.
#6 Get outside-keep yourself healthy both physically and mentally (it’s relatively easy to stay away from people while going for a walk, run, or bike ride and may give you a little stress relief and change of scenery). Thank goodness it’s warming up around here!
#7 Offer to watch the kids of a healthcare worker. We can’t stop going to work and our younger kids can’t stay home alone. My own kids are covered but a lot of my colleagues will need help in the upcoming days, weeks, and even months.
#8 Don’t stress at the schools for not being ready to go with online learning tomorrow-everyone is scrambling to do the best they can. We’ve all had to make big changes in big plans in a very short amount of time. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
#9 Buy some Girl Scout cookies. Those Girl Scouts had to cancel a lot of their booths and selling events. They are all left with tons of cookies to sell. Buy a few boxes. They last forever in the freezer, and personally if you’re going to stock up on anything...
#10 That brings me to #10, for the love of god, stop buying all of the toilet paper. This is a RESPIRATORY illness. Unless you plan on TPing your neighbors, or turning into mummies, or overdosing on sugar free candy, I cannot figure out what the TP obsession is all about. And I’m a doctor.
Instead of going out- read a book, watch some Netflix, talk to your kids, play board games, do art projects, clean your closets, start that puzzle, write letters, learn to cook. Download the Libby app so you can download ebooks and audiobooks from the library, organize your photos, start a journal. You can stay busy without leaving your homes.
I have worked in my ER the last 5 days in a row. Tensions are high. But there are SO many amazing people working around the clock trying to plan and adjust, rolling with the many punches being thrown our way, and showing up as we try to make sure we have enough health care for everyone. This has been an extremely tough week for everyone and I hope that all of these distancing measures will make the upcoming weeks and months better... please, I beg you, DO YOUR PART. Together we can do this. And if we get this right, we’ll be able to look back and say that it wasn’t as bad as we all thought it would be. If we still feel we overreacted at the end of all of this, then we did something right.
THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE PHYSICIANS IN THE ER AT NORTH MEMORIAL
Friends:
I try hard not to be an alarmist, but I’m going to join my other physician colleagues in saying it is time for everyone to listen up. I’ve been living this up close and personal as an ER physician during this very unique time. We are not joking when we say you need to stay home and cancel non essential gatherings. This is not a drill. If we don’t act now we are looking at a lot of the same problems that are facing our Italian colleagues and our colleagues in Seattle- they are running out of beds, ventilators, doctors, nurses, supplies. We need to #flattenthecurve and slow the spread of this virus. And if you really want to use argument “but flu kills so many more people than coronavirus...” great news, all of these measures will help to stop the spread of flu too-bonus! YOU can help in so many ways.
How can you help? Glad you asked!!!
#1 STAY HOME AND AWAY FROM OTHERS as much as possible (I feel like I need to say it again and again and again) Introverts it is your time! If you can work from home, great. If you can stagger your work day also great. If you have to go to work, keep your distance. Cover your cough. Wash your hands. Wash your hands again. Keep washing your hands. Repeat. Do not go to work sick. For sure Minnesotans need to be told this as we all try to “muscle” through. Now is not the time.
#2 Support locally owned restaurants, order take out or delivery. Now is the time to use grubhub, door dash, Uber eats, etc. I’ve already decided where I’m getting my birthday takeout! (And for those of you who know me well, no, it’s not Taco Bell ??) Brasa I’m coming for you!
#3 Support small businesses. Call them and ask to buy gift cards. They could use the sale right now. Buy local whenever possible.
#4 Donate to food banks- my North Minneapolis crowd is going to be hit disproportionately hard by the school closures and there are a lot of really vulnerable kids out there. Make sure everyone in your community has enough to eat. PS: food banks can do astonishing things with even small amounts of money- every bit helps.
#5 Call/text/FT/Skype your friends/elders. Everyone will need social support in the coming days/weeks/months. Make sure your neighbors are holding up ok. Call your loved ones who live in care facilities, many are not allowing visitors right now.
#6 Get outside-keep yourself healthy both physically and mentally (it’s relatively easy to stay away from people while going for a walk, run, or bike ride and may give you a little stress relief and change of scenery). Thank goodness it’s warming up around here!
#7 Offer to watch the kids of a healthcare worker. We can’t stop going to work and our younger kids can’t stay home alone. My own kids are covered but a lot of my colleagues will need help in the upcoming days, weeks, and even months.
#8 Don’t stress at the schools for not being ready to go with online learning tomorrow-everyone is scrambling to do the best they can. We’ve all had to make big changes in big plans in a very short amount of time. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
#9 Buy some Girl Scout cookies. Those Girl Scouts had to cancel a lot of their booths and selling events. They are all left with tons of cookies to sell. Buy a few boxes. They last forever in the freezer, and personally if you’re going to stock up on anything...
#10 That brings me to #10, for the love of god, stop buying all of the toilet paper. This is a RESPIRATORY illness. Unless you plan on TPing your neighbors, or turning into mummies, or overdosing on sugar free candy, I cannot figure out what the TP obsession is all about. And I’m a doctor.
Instead of going out- read a book, watch some Netflix, talk to your kids, play board games, do art projects, clean your closets, start that puzzle, write letters, learn to cook. Download the Libby app so you can download ebooks and audiobooks from the library, organize your photos, start a journal. You can stay busy without leaving your homes.
I have worked in my ER the last 5 days in a row. Tensions are high. But there are SO many amazing people working around the clock trying to plan and adjust, rolling with the many punches being thrown our way, and showing up as we try to make sure we have enough health care for everyone. This has been an extremely tough week for everyone and I hope that all of these distancing measures will make the upcoming weeks and months better... please, I beg you, DO YOUR PART. Together we can do this. And if we get this right, we’ll be able to look back and say that it wasn’t as bad as we all thought it would be. If we still feel we overreacted at the end of all of this, then we did something right.
